Gay couples may soon be able to tie the knot in church

Some religious groups such as Unitarians, Liberal Jews and Quakers who already carry out ceremonies for gay people will welcome the move. Photograph: Linda Nylind for the Guardian

The Coalition government is considering a change in the law to allow gay people to have marriage-style ceremonies in places of worship.

Liberal Democrat Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone is expected to announce later this week that a ban on civil partnerships being conducted in religious venues is to be lifted.

The move, which could also allow hymns and readings from the Bible, is likely to be welcomed by gay rights groups but met with strong opposition from traditionalists within the Church of England, other mainstream religions and the Conservative party.

However minority religious groups such as Unitarians, Liberal Jews and Quakers, who already carry out ceremonies for gay people, will be sympathetic to the move.

"The government is currently considering what the next stage should be for civil partnerships, including how some religious organisations can allow same-sex couples the opportunity to register their relationship in a religious setting if they wish to do so," a spokesman for the Equalities Office said last night.

"Ministers have met a range of people and organisations to hear their views on this issue. An announcement will be made in due course."

It was not clear to what extent the change in law would allow civil partnership ceremonies to be brought into line with traditional weddings between heterosexual partners, or whether the term "marriage" would be officially used.

Civil partnerships, introduced in 2004, provide most of the same legal rights as marriage, but are often seen by gay people as lacking the spiritual depth conferred by a religious ceremony.

While many Anglican clergy already carry out blessings for gay couples, there is no authorised church ceremony and the issue has led to divisions in the Church of England.

Quakers, who have been in favour of same-sex unions for almost two decades, agreed to perform marriage ceremonies for gay couples in 2009 and have previously urged the government to change the law to allow Quaker registering officers to handle same-sex partnerships in the same way as marriages.

Gay marriages are already legal in a handful of countries, including Canada, Iceland, the Netherlands, South Africa, Sweden, Spain, and some American states,

David Cameron, in 2009 interview, suggested that same-sex partnerships were no different from marriage but admitted that not all in his party held a similar view.